crate question..sleeping at night ...

can I ask for those of you who crate trained your puppy at what age did you start to leave them out of the crate at night?

Buddy is five months and goes in his crate at night with no problems and also during the day if we are out.. although the crate is always open when we are in other than eating his biscuits in it he rarely uses it for sleeping he tends to crash wherever he is .

I would like at night to start allowing him to sleep out of the crate if he wanted to especially at weekends as we get up later than during the week and I am always worried that he needs a drink or a wee and is contained , as he rarely makes a noise until he hears us, I would be happier if he could have a drink if he needed and ask to be let out .. he may even sleep longer if he were near us - I do not think I would leave him downstairs on his own maybe in our room on a bed (probably ours knowing Buddy ) so I can make sure he doesn't get into any mischief - he is still teething so I would want to crate him if we were not in as I think he will chew and be naughty on his own.

I have tried putting him in when he is tired and leaving the door open but crate covered but he comes out -and wont settle unless the door is shut .Should I let him decide when he wants to sleep elsewhere or introduce it to him

- I would when he is settled like to remove the crate altogether but he is still into everything at the minute and as I have an open plan house downstairs the trouble he could get into left to roam does not bear thinking about

We got Suki when she was 16 weeks and she stayed in her crate at night for 2 or 3 nights. After that she slept with us. Never had an accident and she normally stays on the bed as long as me or the OH are still there so really I think it is a personal preference.

ok thanks - he is still really curious of the rooms upstairs as we have not really let him up there - maybe I need to start letting him explore first so he become familiar with it - at the minute he wants everything he sees as it is all new to him..

smudge95 wrote:can I ask for those of you who crate trained your puppy at what age did you start to leave them out of the crate at night?

Buddy is five months and goes in his crate at night with no problems and also during the day if we are out.. although the crate is always open when we are in other than eating his biscuits in it he rarely uses it for sleeping he tends to crash wherever he is .

I would like at night to start allowing him to sleep out of the crate if he wanted to especially at weekends as we get up later than during the week and I am always worried that he needs a drink or a wee and is contained , as he rarely makes a noise until he hears us, I would be happier if he could have a drink  if he needed and ask to be let out ..  he may even sleep longer if he were near us - I do not think I would leave him downstairs on his own maybe in our room on a bed (probably ours knowing Buddy ) so I can make sure he doesn't get into any mischief - he is still teething so I would want to crate him if we were not in as I think he will chew and be naughty on his own.

I have tried putting him in when he is tired and leaving the door open but crate covered but he comes out -and wont settle unless the door is shut .Should I let him decide when he wants to sleep elsewhere or introduce it to him

- I would when he is settled like to remove the crate altogether but he is still into everything at the minute and as I have an open plan house downstairs the trouble he could get into left to roam does not bear thinking about

Hi Carol, Maya is pretty much the same with her crate. We leave the door open for her when we are in the house with her, but she hardly ever uses it. I mainly use it just to keep all her toys in now, and like Buddy she will just crash out wherever she pleases.
At night she sleeps at the side of our bed on her mattress and she sleeps really soundly and doesn`t wake up till we do.
Like yourself, i am just going to use the crate now for her safety, if we ever have to leave her alone for a while. I dread to think what damage she would cause otherwise ! Not much help i`m afraid, but if Buddy is happy either in or out of the crate to sleep, i would just continue what you are already doing, and just give him the option.

maya is lovely - I might keep things as they are now for another week as we are going on holiday and he is off to kennels for a doggy holiday he has had a try out night and loved it - they are great where he goes.. if I put him with us now he may pine for us more - I will try him when we get back and see worse case I have to put him back in his crate ..does have some advantages he has upset tummy today so at least the mess was contained and he managed not to step in it either sat in the opposite corner until I came home, bless him !

smudge95 wrote:maya is lovely - I might keep things as they are now for another week as we are going on holiday and he is off to kennels for a doggy holiday he has had a try out night and loved it - they are great where he goes.. if I put him with us now he may pine  for us more - I will try him when we get back and see worse case I have to put him back in his crate ..does have some advantages he has upset tummy today so at least the mess was contained and he managed not to step in it either  sat in the opposite corner until I came home, bless him !

Thanks, Buddy is a handsome chap himself Totally agree with waiting till after your hols, as Buddy may just get confused with so much going on !

I`ve had dogs all my life Carol, and this is the first time i have used a crate. Must admit though, it`s not had much use But i did say in the begining, if Maya doesn`t take to it, we will use it for safety only ( If we have to leave her )

Sound like Buddy is quite at home in his though.

Yh I agree with terry just stick to what your already doing hope you have a lovely holls and buddy enjoys his lil Holliday

thanks I hope our holiday goes well and buddy's he is going to a kennels which is run by the same lady who runs his puppy classes so at least he will have a friendly face there !..might even get some extra training...

Why not attach a play pen to the crate at night so that Buddy can wander about?
He'll have access to his water bowl etc, but won't be able to go off exploring?
I wised up to this 48hrs after having my little Spudleybug...I use the pen outside the back door if i need to contain him, but open it up for toilet training and playing in the garden with him.
At night, i bring it into the kitchen, or if i need the oven in the day, i clip it to his crate and in he goes..i leave the crate door open all the time more or less...I get in the pen with him at times and have a cuddle etc so that he doesn't mind being 'imprisoned'.
He has another bed in the living but rarely uses it as i keep him under close supervision, so usually when we're in that room, i'm either training him, playing or trying to calm him down because he gets so excited!

Incidentally, the little git clambered all the way to the top of the stairs today...plus he successfully navigated the two turns in the staircase...he's not even 9 weeks old!!
Right little Chris Bonington he is....But then again, i don't think Chris Bonington immediately went for a wee at the top of Everest did he?

ha ha - Buddy can do the stairs at a gallop too.. I tried a pen when we first had him but he howled I think he likes the security of his crate, the pen scared him a bit too much space he just wanted to get out - during the day if we are in - if I am busy he just lies at my feet and watches me - I have started letting him come upstairs with me if I have to go and he is being good he is getting past the " I have to eat everything I see" stage I think I will just try with the crate open during the day when he has a nap and see how that goes and start leaving it uncovered at night.. winter will be the telling time - our bedroom is a lot warmer than where his crate is so my aim is a bed in our room by then- at the minute he just eats or humps any bedding out of the crate put it in the crate and he sleeps on it... odd dog!!